SNH is pleased to host Writing Stories, a creative writing workshop delivered by local facilitators, Writing Days. In this introductory workshop, participants will be able to try different writing techniques, read some great examples of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, and try a range of exercises and activities. If you’ve always wanted to write, or want to start a creative practice, then this workshop is for you!
Suzanne Hermanoczki and Lou Smith are the facilitators behind Writing Days. Based in Merri-bek, they are both writing doctors, published writers, teachers, and enthusiasts of creative writing and their community. Through workshops, readings, events, and writerly advice, they help people discover and grow their own writing voices.
Suzanne & Lou both share a love of writing, reading, photography, walking, chatting and a good cuppa (bikkies and cakes are always an option)!
If you’ve been looking for a gentle way to begin (or return to) writing, this is a wonderful place to start.
Sussex Neighbourhood House – 7 Prospect St, Pascoe Vale
Saturday 28th February
10am to 11:30am
Book online or call 9354 2210
To make sure everyone feels supported and confident, our Crochet program now runs in two streams:
🧶Weekly Crochet – Beginners
Perfect if you’re new to crochet or still building confidence. These weekly sessions offer more structured guidance, with the tutor actively teaching stitches, techniques, and helping you get started step by step. If you’re a beginner, we highly recommend attending weekly to get the most out of the class.
🧶Fortnightly Crochet – Confident & Social
Designed for those who already know the basics and are looking to extend their skills in a supportive, social setting. Bring along your own project, enjoy the company of fellow crocheters, and access help from the tutor when needed. These sessions run fortnightly.
You’re welcome to bring along your own project, or choose one of these starting points:
Basic materials are included to help you get started, though you’re very welcome to bring your own yarn and hooks if you prefer.
If you’ve been curious about crochet, or are looking for a creative, social space to unwind and make something with your hands, we’d love to welcome you.
Everyone is welcome to bring along broken or damaged household items and work alongside skilled volunteer repairers to see if they can be fixed. It’s about more than just repairs, it’s about sharing skills, reducing waste, and keeping useful items in circulation for longer.
Repair Cafe is suitable for a wide range of everyday items, including:
If it’s broken, torn, wobbly, or no longer working as it should, it’s worth bringing along.
Available this session:
Repairs are carried out collaboratively, giving participants the chance to learn new skills and better understand how their items work.
Repairs are offered free of charge, with a pay as you feel donation model to support the ongoing running of Repair Cafe and our sustainability initiatives. Wait times can vary depending on the demand and the nature of repairs, so we recommend limiting the amount of items you bring and being prepared to spend some time on site.
Whether you come with something to fix or just want to learn, observe, and connect, you’re warmly welcome.
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what to do with your little one once naps are over and the day still stretches ahead, you’re not alone.
The late afternoon can be one of the trickiest times of day for families. Morning activities have wrapped up, energy levels suddenly spike, and dinner time still feels far away. For parents and carers at home with young children, this window can feel long, restless, and at times isolating, especially during cooler months when outdoor play isn’t always an option.
That’s why we’re excited to introduce Wednesday Scallywags, a brand new afternoon playgroup running from 3pm to 5pm, created specifically to support families during this often-overlooked part of the day.
Facilitated by the much-loved Rose, Scallywags is designed to be relaxed, joyful, and inclusive. Each session includes a mix of:
The group is suitable for babies through to pre-schoolers, with activities that can be enjoyed at different stages of development. Children are encouraged to explore at their own pace, build confidence, and begin forming friendships, while carers can relax, chat, and enjoy being part of a supportive local community.
Scallywags is about creating a soft, friendly space during a time of day that often needs it most. Whether you’re looking to break up a long afternoon, help your child burn off energy, or simply spend time with others who understand this stage of life, Scallywags offers a welcoming place to land before heading home for dinner.
We can’t wait to welcome families into this new afternoon rhythm.
Book online or call us on 9354 2210
Our Clay Art classes invite children and youth to slow down, get their hands dirty, and experience the joy of making something their own.
Led by ceramic artist, Elnaz Nourizadeh, these classes introduce participants to the fundamentals of working with clay in a fun, supportive, and relaxed environment. Each week, kids explore a new project, allowing them to learn a range of ceramic techniques while developing their creativity, problem-solving skills, and confidence.
Participants are guided through the full ceramic process from shaping and constructing their piece, to decorating, glazing, and seeing their work transformed in the kiln. Watching their creations emerge after firing is often a highlight, giving participants a real sense of pride and achievement.
Eli offers gentle instruction while leaving plenty of room for imaginative expression. Children are encouraged to experiment, take creative risks, and develop their own artistic voice at their own pace. With fresh projects each week, students remain engaged and excited to return, building skills gradually while enjoying the freedom of creative play.
All materials are provided, including clay, tools, glazing, and firing, and every finished piece can be taken home.
These classes are ideal for kids who love art, enjoy hands-on activities, or are curious to try something new.
No prior experience is needed!
Enrol with the links above or call 9354 2210
(Check out the Creativity section under the Courses tab to see Clay programs for adults!)
From digital skills and English classes to arts programs, social groups, youth activities sustainability initiatives and community events, everything we do is about removing barriers and making community life accessible to all.
To help protect this work into the future, we’re excited to partner with Inner North Community Foundation to create the Sussex Neighbourhood House MyFund.
Gifts to the Fund are invested for the long term, and earnings from the investment returned to SNH each year as a grant, supporting our programs and activities.
This means your support helps our community for years to come.
Your contribution helps us to:
Whether it’s a one-off donation, regular giving, workplace support or a future gift, you’re helping keep the heart of our community beating strong.
Donations of $2 or more made through INCF’s DGR-endorsed Community Charity Trust are generally tax-deductible.
Donate online via the Inner North Community Foundation
Or contact us to chat about other ways to give: enquiries@sussexnh.org.au
Thank you for helping secure a strong, connected future for our community.
SNH will be closed for the holiday period from Friday 19th December 2025 and will reopen on Monday 12 January 2026.
We wish everyone a safe and restful holiday break and look forward to welcoming you back in the new year.
The Pascoe Vale Repair Cafe is a monthly community event where volunteer fixers help locals bring broken household items back to life It’s about reducing waste, saving money, and building community skills, but just as importantly, it’s about connection, conversation, and the joy of giving objects a second chance.
Hosted at Sussex Neighbourhood House, the Repair Cafe brings together talented volunteers with expertise in sewing, textiles, small electrical repairs, carpentry, bike maintenance, tool sharpening, and more. Whether it’s a wobbly chair, a favourite jumper with a tear, a lamp that flickers, or garden tools that need sharpening, our volunteers will do their best to help you understand the problem and learn to repair it together.
Over the years, our Repair Cafe has become a warm, bustling hub of circular-economy in action empowering people to learn new skills, reduce landfill, and meet neighbours in a welcoming environment. New volunteers and first-time visitors are always welcome.
The Repair Cafe runs once a month, usually on the first Sunday of the month, from 10am to 12pm at 7 Prospect Street Pascoe Vale (in Sussex Neighbourhood House’s Art Room).
Our final cafe date for 2025 is Sunday 7 December.
2026 Repair Cafe Dates:
(No sessions for April and November public holidays)
You’re welcome to bring along:
If you can bring it through the door, we can have a look! If you’re unsure about whether we can help, bring it along anyway for our volunteers to assess it on the day.
The Repair Cafe operates on a pay as you feel donation system. All donations are warmly appreciated and all support the program, helping us buy materials, tools, and equipment.
We’re always looking for people with repair skills (sewing, electrical, mechanical, woodwork, bike repair, general tinkering) or people who enjoy greeting visitors and assisting with check ins.
If you’d like to join the team, chat with us at SNH or email us anytime at enquiries@sussexnh.org.au
As 2025 comes to a close, Sussex Neighbourhood House is opening its doors for a very special community celebration. This annual event brings together participants, tutors, volunteers, families, and local residents to showcase the creativity, connection, and learning that happens within our House each year.
Whether you’ve been part of our programs for a long time or you’re curious to see what we do, you’re warmly invited to join us for an afternoon full of performances, art, and shared community spirit.
The celebration will feature music, dance, creativity, and displays from our programs across the year. Our hub will be filled with artworks from children, adults, and youth participants, alongside vibrant demonstrations in the hall from classes that have become staples of our program calendar.
Guests can enjoy complimentary finger food from 3pm, wander through the displays, chat with our tutors and volunteers, and meet others in the local community.
This year’s event also marks an important moment for SNH, the introduction of our new manager, Felicity Leahy, who will share a welcome address as she steps into the role.
3:00pm – Event begins, food served, art displays open
3:15pm – Acknowledgement of Country & introduction of Felicity
3:30pm – Creative Movement & Dance performance (inclusive adults program)
3:45pm – Tai Chi demonstration
4:00pm – Scottish Dancing group performance
4:15pm – Community campaign postcard presentation & short break
4:30pm – Ukulele & Choir performances
5:00pm – Kids’ Keyboard performance
6:00pm – Event finish
Our end of year event is a moment to reflect on the growth and achievements of our programs from creative arts and fitness to digital skills, language, sustainability initiatives, and community development projects. It is also an opportunity to thank the volunteers, tutors, and partners who help us create a welcoming space for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Most of all, it’s an afternoon to come together, enjoy each other’s company, and celebrate the connections that make SNH such a vibrant and supportive part of Pascoe Vale.
The celebration is free and open to all community members. Come along with your family, bring a fri4end, or simply drop in to enjoy the atmosphere. Stay for the full program or pop in when you can, we’d love to see you there.
We look forward to celebrating with you and closing out the year on a high note.
See you on Thursday 4 December!
Every week, we welcome people of all ages and backgrounds into our programs, activities, volunteer roles, and social spaces. These everyday interactions help build confidence, reduce isolation, strengthen resilience, and foster a sense of belonging.
Across Victoria, Neighbourhood Houses play a vital role in community wellbeing. They are local, accessible, and responsive to the needs of the people who walk through the door. As needs have grown in recent years, Neighbourhood Houses have continued to show up and adapt, offering support in ways that are practical, inclusive, and community-led.
94-96% of participants said the activity they participated in at their local NH had a positive or very positive impact on their physical and emotional wellbeing, and on their social connections.
However, despite this increasing demand, the core funding that sustains Neighbourhood Houses has not kept pace. Many houses are now providing more services with fewer resources, and nearly half are operating at a financial loss. Without sustainable funding, the ability to continue delivering these essential community programs is at risk.
The Keep Our Doors Open campaign is a statewide initiative led by Neighbourhood Houses Victoria. It calls for a 25% increase to core funding for Neighbourhood Houses across the state. This increase would ensure that houses like ours can continue to meet community need, retain skilled staff, and provide safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces for everyone.
At SNH, we have set up a campaign station in our hub. Community members are invited to fill out postcards sharing what Sussex means to them – postcards which will then be delivered to our local representatives as part of the campaign to advocate for sustainable, long-term funding.
We would like to acknowledge Anthony Cianflone MP for his ongoing support of our community and the neighbourhood house sector. We are also calling on Ros Spence MP to support the campaign and recognise the essential role that Neighbourhood Houses play in the health, strength, and connectedness of Victorian communities.
If SNH has been meaningful to you – whether through programs, volunteering, social connection, or simply as a welcoming place to belong – your voice can make a difference. We invite you to
These messages help show the real value of community-led spaces and the importance of keeping them open and accessible.
Our commitment is to continue being a supportive, inclusive, and welcoming place for everyone who walks through our door. Sustainable funding is essential to ensuring we can keep doing this, not just now, but for years to come.
When community spaces remain open, everyone benefits.